Pages

Monday, November 18, 2013

"aloha rose" by lisa carter

About the book (from Litfuse): When Laney Carrigan's adoptive father encourages her as an adult to seek out her birth family, her only clue is the Lokelani quilt in which she was found wrapped as an infant. Centering her search on the Big Island, she battles fears of rejection from a family that abandoned her once before while her faith struggles to embrace God's love.

Along the path to her true heritage, she meets Hawaiian cowboy/helicopter pilot, Kai Barnes. Kai is determined to protect the people he's come to regard as family against a woman he suspects of being nothing more than a gold-digger, but he finds himself drawn to Laney in spite of his reservations. He's spent his entire life seeking forgiveness from past mistakes and longs for a second chance at happiness.

Laney's painstaking journey to find restoration and a place to belong among the breathtaking allure of the Big Island will lead her closer to her past and maybe even something more.

My take: This is the type of review I hate writing. Aloha Rose is a decent book, but its flaws kept me from really enjoying it. I recently reviewed author Lisa Carter's Carolina Reckoning, and I really enjoyed that book—especially the romance aspect. In Aloha Rose, the romance is precisely the part I didn't enjoy. Laney and Kai's romance moved way too quickly for me to find believable ... or I guess I should say the physical aspect moved faster than it should have. The actual romance was very hot and cold, and the constant back and forth was tiresome.

The other parts of the story—the parts involving Laney's birth family—were much more enjoyable. Laney's journey to connect with her birth family was heartwarming, and I especially enjoyed learning about Laney's mother, Rose. I knew from Carolina Reckoning that Lisa Carter could write a good twist, and Aloha Rose contains a few. The novel definitely didn't end as I expected it to (aside from the romance—that was pretty predictable), and I especially enjoyed the last quarter of the book.

While Aloha Rose wasn't the book for me, I predict that many romance lovers will enjoy it.My rating: 2.5 stars

About the author: Lisa Carter has been published in MomSense and Christian Parenting Today. Lisa is currently teaching music at a preschool and enjoying the enthusiasm and joy for life for which preschoolers are famous. She and David have two beautiful daughters.About the giveaway: In honor of their new Quilts of Love releases, The Christmas Quilt and Aloha Rose, authors Vannetta Chapman and Lisa Carter are gearing up to ring in the Christmas season with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a "Christmas Bee" Facebook Party on December 10th with fellow Quilts of Love author Lynette Sowell!

One winner will receive:

A Kindle Fire HDX

The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman

Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 30th. Winner will be announced at the "Christmas Bee" Facebook Party on December 10th. Connect with the authors from the Quilts of Love series, Vannetta Chapman, Lisa Carter, and Lynette Sowell, for an evening of book chat, quilt trivia, Christmas traditions and gifts, PLUS get an exclusive look at January's Quilts of Love book!

So grab your copies of The Christmas Quilt and Aloha Rose and join Vannetta, Lisa, and Lynette on the evening of December 10th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the books, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on December 10th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

.

Follow me on Facebook

I love Regency-set (and slightly later) movies, television series, and books that take place in villages and focus on a variety of characters. Lawana Blackwell's Gresham Chronicles, the Cranford miniseries, and the TV show Lark Rise to C...

I have long been a fan of Jody Hedlund's historical romances. My favorite of her novels has always been A Noble Groom (swoon!), but Forever Safe is giving it a run for its money!
Forever Safe is about heiress Victoria Cole, who is engag...

Something about Scientology has long fascinated me. Not in a "I have to learn more and get involved" kind of way, but more like a questioning of how on earth people can follow this "religion." A few years ago, I read Jefferson Hawkins' C...